Ore pulverizing and amalgamating mill



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. W. BAILEY. ORE PULVERIZING AND AMALG-AMATING MILL. No. 530,612. Patented Dec. 11,1894.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-,-Sheet 2.

J. W. BAILEY.

ORE PULVERIZING ANDAM'ALGAMATING MILL. No. 530,612. Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

NITED STATES JOHN W. BAILEY, F DENVER, COLORADO.

PATENT OFFICE.

ORE PULVERIZIN G AND AMALGAMATING MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters I'atent No. 530,612, dated December 11, 1894.

Application filed March 1, 1894- Serial No. 501,938. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. BAILEY, of

Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State i is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of an ore pulverizer, in combination with an electric amalgamator, which is so arranged that-the space between the crushing surfaces where the pulverization is continuously taking place is within a field of electrical action, set up between a metal or carbonplate constituting an anode on one side of the crusher and a trough containing mercury constituting the cathode upon the opposite side. 7 p

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the process of amalgamation may occur at the very instant that the gold or other metal is liberated from the ore within which it is embedded, and before it has be- .come in the slightest degree contaminated by other substances which are invariably mingled with the Ore from the mine.

The application of electricity to the process of amalgamation has already'overcome many of the diificulties heretofore experienced by reason of the deleterious actionupon the mercury of arsenic, sulphur, and various organic substances, especially oil, which are almost always present in the stock which is presented to the action of the amalgamator; but though the electrical action tends to keep the mercury clean and bright so as to hasten the amalgamating process, difficulty is often experienced by reason of the oil or grease or other organic substance mingled with the ore becoming mixed with the gold or other metal. If the gold is coated with oil or grease the process of amalgamation does not proceed, no matter how clean the surface of the mercury maybe kept. In order to reach this difliculty I have provided a device whereby the pulverizing of the ore takes place directly over the trough of mercuryand within a field of electrical action. The anode therefore draws to itself all organic substances, while the gold or other metal at the very moment of its birth, and before there is an opportunity for contamiprocess to whichthe stock may be subjected a tendency to float and consequently to avoid a mercury surface over which the stock may be passed, are here, by reason of the violent commotion of the grinding process, brought into contact with the mercury.

I have illustrated my invention as applied to a type of pulverizer invented by me, and for which I obtained Letters Patent of the United States, No. 321,937 dated July 14, 1885, but it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to pulverizers of different sorts.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved device. Fig. 2 shows certain details of connection for the driving mechanism; and Fig. 3 shows B is a heavy disk or muller, revolving rapidly within'the pan.

The crushing and wearing surfaces, both of the pan and of the muller, are reinforced by removable grinding surfaces or hard iron or steel. Of these a is a vertical ring, which forms the inner grinding surface of the pan. It is surrounded by another concentric ring, a, held in place by wedges, a

b is a ring and annular disk which forms the outer and lower surfaces of the muller. Opposite this lower surface of the muller there is a corresponding removable disk, a affixed to the bottomof the pan A. When any of these removable surfaces are worn out they may be replaced by new ones.

The outer diameter of the muller with its crushing surface is somewhat less than the inner diameter of the corresponding crushing surface of the pan.

i (l is a vertical shaft, situated beneath the muller and to which it impartsits motion. It is driven by the bevel gear, 0, and passes through a stuffing box, 0', in the bottom of the pan. Upon the upper end of the shaft, 0, and immediately beneath the muller, there is affixed an enlarged head, E, bolted to the shaft and revolving with it. This head has a large fiat surface at its upper end presented toward the lower surface of the muller.

Projecting from the lower surface of the muller at its center is a stout pin, D, carrying at its lower end a square brass box, 11. This box is received into a slot, F, running across the upper surface of the head, E. A strong spring, f, interposed between the end of the slot and the box, 61, tends to drive the box, and with it the center of the muller, along the slot away from the center of the shaft, (J. This renders the muller slightly eccentric to the shaft.

G is the water feed pipe. It enters the bottom of the pan through an annular space, 9', surrounding the shaft, 0, just above the studing box, From this, part of the water passes directly up around the shaft into the larger water space, 9 formed in the bottom of the pan around its center. Another part of it passes, by means of a passage, 9 running from the annular space, g, up through the center of the shaft, (1, into the slot, F, and thence over the top of the head, E, into the water space, The object of this distribution of the water is to keep the wearing surfaces of the shaft and surrounding parts free from grit which might otherwise pass down fromthe pan. The water enters around and above the shaft at high pressure, carrying any grit or dirt up with it. From the space, 9 the water passes by means of pipes, h, h, directly through the muller and into the pulverizing part of the mill. These pipes have their heads turned over to prevent larger pieces of ore from falling down them.

H is the discharging pipe near the top of the pan, through which the water escapes.

I is the chute by which the ore is fed into the pan.

J is a draw-off pipe to be used when cleaning up.

The operation of this portion of my device is as follows: The ore is fed into the pan by the chute, I, and falls on the revolving muller, the rotation of which tends to throw it toward the crushing surfaces at the edge. The shaft, 0, being driven rapidly imparts to the muller an eccentric or rolling motion, the degree of eccentricity depending upon the ex tent to which centrifugal force combined with the action of the spring,f, overcomes the resistance of the material to be pulverized. At the same time the muller being free to revolve upon its own axis within the box, d, the contact of its periphery with the pan impartsa rotatorymotion which allows the crushing to be accomplished with less friction than would otherwise be the case. A continuous stream of water is fed into the lower part of the pan through the tube, G, Water. space, g, and tubes, h, h. The water rises carrying with it the finely pulverized gangue, and passes 01f through the discharge pipe, H. The fineness to which the pulverizing process is carried may be varied at will by controlling the rate of the in-flow of water by the cock, 9. If the in-flow is comparatively slow the ore will be ground very fine before being carried 0E by the water through the discharge. If rapid, it will be carried off before it is ground so fine.

I have thus far described the construction and operation of the pulverizing apparatus which as before stated belongs to the same type of machine as a device previously patented by me. I will now describe the application to this device of the electric amalgamating apparatus.

Immediately over the annular space between the crushing surfaces, there is suspended a large copper ring, N, corresponding in diameter to this annular space and insulated from the pan, A. This ring is electrically connected with the positive pole of a suitable source of electric supply and constitutes the anode of my electric amalgamator. Immediately below this same annular space and contained within a circular trough, or groove, is, hollowed out in the bottom of the pan, A, is a ring of mercury, K, connected electrically with the negative pole of the source of electric supply, and constituting the corresponding cathode. The mercury is properly insulated from the pan, A, by means of a lining, is, of hard rubber or other nomconducting material inserted in the trough which contains the mercury. M is a tap for drawing off the mercury from the trough, 7a, and refilling the same. The space between the anode and the cathode being filled with water containing in suspension powdered ore of all degrees of fine ness, electrolytic action is at once set updriving any organic substances up to the anode and metallicparticles down to the mercury cathode where amalgamation takes place. This action takes place continuously-and consequently seizes upon the free metal the instant it is liberated in the crushing process. It is to be noticed particularly that neither of the crushing surfaces has any electric connection. This would prevent what is my main object, viz: to effect the crushing between the two poles of an electric ainalgamator. 0onsequently both the anode and cathode are completely insulated from the entire pulverizing apparatus. Their relative position is seen in Fig. 3. Between these, and electrically disconnected from them but within the sphere of their electric activity, is the space between the crushing surfaces.

I am aware that hitherto attempts have been made to set up electric action of this description in the immediate vicinity of the crushing surfaces of an ore crusher; but in every case one or both of the crushing surfaces have themselves been so connected as to act as anode or cathode, instead of being completely insulated from either. Consequently these devices have entirely failed to attain what it is my chief object to attain, namelyz'an electric amalgamator with crushing surfaces between and within the sphere of, but electrically disconnected from the poles of the amalgamator.

Although I have thus illustrated my invention as it is applied to a pulverizing machine of the type shown by me in thedrawings accompanying this specification, which I find a convenient form for its application, yet it is obvious that it is applicable to crushing machines of adiiferent nature and construction.

Whatever may be the shape of the crushing surfaces and consequently the shape of the space Within which the crushing action takes place, an insulated trough filled with mercury may be placed immediately'below' this crushing space, and a corresponding metallic plate may be similarly placed above it. The mercury and plate may be electrically connected with a source of electric supply, constituting an anode and cathode from which the crushing surfaces are electrically disconnected.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an ore pulverizing and amalgamatins device, the combination of opposing crushing surfaces whereby the ore is pulverized and an amalgamating device consisting of a metal plate, and a mercury trough, situated each 'the electrical action between the electrodes,

substantially as described. I

3. In an ore pulverizing and amalgamating device, a cylindrical pan, a cylindrical muller, means for rotating said muller within said pan, an annular insulated trough filled with mercury situated below the periphery of the muller, an annular insulated metal plate situated above the periphery, and suitable electric connections whereby the metal plate becomes'an anode and the mercury a cathode, substantially as described.

JOHN W. BAILEY.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, H. MASON OLA'PP. 

